Massillon man jailed in I-77 road rage shooting

Thursday

A Massillon man involved in a road rage incident earlier this month has been arrested and charged with causing it.

AKRON A Stark County man who was shot in an Interstate 77 road-rage confrontation has been charged.

Orlando Negron Espinosa, 43, of Massillon, was arrested Thursday on a felonious assault charge and booked into the Summit County Jail, according to a news release from the Summit County Sheriff's Office. Further charges are pending.

Espinosa was driving a red 2012 Chevrolet Cruze and a 31-year-old North Canton man was driving a purple 2014 Honda HR-V southbound on I-77 when one swerved into the other's lane about 11 p.m. Nov. 3.

Inspector Bill Holland of the Summit County Sheriff's Office said that the two cars collided between South Arlington and Massillon roads. Investigators believe Espinosa got out of his car to confront the North Canton man, who never got out of his own car.

Both men had guns. Both men had active permits allowing them to carry concealed weapons.

Deputies patrolling the interstate at 11:12 p.m. saw one of the vehicles off the side of the road and then saw gunfire.

The North Canton man fired first, striking Espinosa in the stomach, Holland had said. Espinosa fired back, but struck only the car. The North Canton man and his family were not hit.

Both men immediately surrendered to the deputies, and Espinosa was taken to an area hospital. His injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

"The investigation revealed that Espinosa exited his vehicle to confront the other driver," Holland stated in the news release. "It was determined that the altercation was a result of Espinosa's actions."

Reach Lori at 330-580-8309 or lori.steineck@cantonrep.com.

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